About us
What is the North Texas Public Information Officers Group?
The North Texas Public Information Officers Group (North Texas PIO Group) is a 501(c)6 working group of professional public information officers working for law enforcement agencies, fire departments, school districts, hospitals, nonprofits and other public service organizations in the North Texas area.
Membership is made up of and open to anyone who actively serves in a Public Information Officer (PIO) capacity for local, county or regional government jurisdictions and/or any public safety or emergency services organizations whose responsibilities include interacting with members of the media and managing and sharing public information.
The Board of Directors works with the Group’s members to plan quarterly meetings featuring guest speakers that provide insight into a specific organization or the public information function. We host annual media mixer events to allow for networking with media members from DFW, the fifth-largest media market in the nation. Additionally, training and job opportunities are shared online and through the Group’s listserv.
Members provide mutual aid, assisting in a range of public affairs activities following disasters that cannot be managed entirely in that jurisdiction. This work is provided on a volunteer basis.
Starting in FY22 (October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022), the Board will introduce a membership dues structure to allow for expanded training, networking and service opportunities for our members. While our meetings will continue to be open to anyone who serves in the roles listed above, non-members may be charged an event fee. Members, current on dues, may also receive additional benefits.
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Our Mission
Provide the right information to the right people at the right time; so they can make the right decisions. |
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Our Purpose
- To provide Public Information Officer (PIO) members with opportunities to meet, network, and learn from each other, both online and in-person at PIO Network meetings, training, exercises, and actual incidents utilizing NIMS Joint Information Center (JIC) principles.
- To maintain an online membership database of 24/7 contact information available to distribute information to other PIO Network members.
- To provide an online forum for Members to ask questions and help solve PIO problems.
- To share information about NIMS-compliant ICS, PIO, and JIC training available to Members.
- To visit and tour potential EOC and JIC sites in the north Texas area.
- To visit and tour area news media agencies in the north Texas area to network with personnel.
- To observe or participate in multi-agency exercises to practice PIO and JIC skills.
- To share PIO and JIC “best practices” and “lessons learned” from exercises and incident.
- To share PIO personnel and JIC resources as available during an actual emergency
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What is a PIO? |
Public Information Officers (PIOs) are the communications coordinators or spokespersons of certain governmental organizations (i.e. police departments, army, city, county, state governments). They differ from public relations departments of private organizations in that many of them typically do not engage in marketing, but solely in providing information to the public and the media as required by law and according to the standards of their profession. Public Information Officers are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the general public is kept abreast of any emergency situation in which it might be involved. Public information activities are essential to all emergency management functions. To maintain the highest quality of public information, public information officers are trained and practice the skills needed to successfully execute the requirements of the job, including oral and written communications, information dissemination, media interface and public information planning. Public information officers can operate from an office or from the field. During crises and emergencies, PIOs are often identified by wearing helmets or vests with the letters “PIO” on them. |
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